Unit Card:

Set - Rarity - Number

War at Sea - Uncommon - 53/64

History:

Though a land-based aircraft, the Mitsubishi G4M, known to the Allies as the Betty, was designed and used by the Imperial Navy as an anti-shipping strike aircraft. Like many Japanese naval aircraft, the Betty was designed with long range operations in mind, and as a result the aircraft incorporated several weight-saving measures: omitting armor and self-sealing fuel tanks. Bettys on torpedo runs, which necessitated slow, low and level flight prior to release, thus became relatively easy targets if an allied pilot was lucky enough to hit and ignite the fuel tanks. On the other hand, the Betty was equipped with a pair of rear-firing 20mm cannon, making attacks against them no laughing matter.

Bettys featured prominently in bombing attacks right from the beginning of the war, but are perhaps most remembered for their successful torpedo attacks on the British battleships Repulse and Prince of Wales. The Betty was capable enough as a torpedo aircraft, but this action showed, foremost, the discipline and high training standards of the early war Japanese pilots. As other aircraft dropped bombs from above, Bettys approached the pair of capital ships from two directions, launching their torpedoes in a combined attack. Despite this training, Bettys that encountered heavier enemy air cover usually fared poorly and were used primarily at the end of the war as carrying platforms for the manned suicide rockets known as Ohkas. In WAS, Betty comes in two flavors, this one with an alternate bombing attack, and the G4M1, with an option to fly two turns in a row.

Reviews:

Anonymous:
There are two schools of thought on the Betty.

One school says that she's good filler material for air-heavy builds. At 6 points she's a cheap attack aircraft, and two torpedoes is a solid striking capability. Add to that flexibility of a limited ASW capability as well as Alternate Strike. The result is a decent craft for filling out air raids.

In response, however, it should be pointed out that aircraft with 6 vital-armor usually don't last long. A single 7-die AA attack, for example, has a 33% chance of shooting down a Betty, and further 38% chance of aborting her. If she goes down in flames at the first AA shot, as often happens, she doesn't seem so cheap and useful. And also, as a patrol bomber, Betty can't benefit from the Expert SAs and basing capabilities of aircraft carriers.

In short, if you're thinking of buying a Betty, it may be an OK move if your build is truly air-heavy, and already contains robust striking units, but perhaps needs a little offensive upside.

But think hard before you commit to Betty. It might be better to scrounge up the points to upgrade to a better attack aircraft, or else buy a Zero instead.